Dec 17, 2025

Instrument Maintenance 101: Caring for Your Child’s Electric Guitar

When your child starts electric guitar lessons, it’s easy to focus on songs, scales, and the excitement of plugging into an amp. But there’s another part of learning guitar that matters just as much: taking care of the instrument itself.

Good maintenance keeps the guitar sounding great, makes it easier to play, and helps your child feel proud of what they own. Think of it like caring for a favorite pair of sneakers or a sports uniform. When kids learn to maintain their gear, they treat the whole experience more seriously.

The good news: you don’t have to be a musician or a repair expert to help. With a few simple habits at home, you and your child can keep their electric guitar in excellent shape between lessons.

Why Guitar Maintenance Matters

An electric guitar that’s clean, tuned, and comfortable to hold makes practice feel rewarding. One that’s sticky, hard to tune, or constantly buzzing can make even the most eager beginner lose motivation.

Regular care supports your child in four big ways:

Better sound. Clean strings and well-adjusted hardware help the guitar ring clearly and stay in tune, so kids actually hear the progress they’re making.
Longer life for the instrument. Wiping away sweat and storing the guitar correctly can prevent unnecessary wear and future repairs.
Easier playability. A guitar that’s in good condition is simply more comfortable to hold and play, especially for smaller hands.
Building responsibility. When kids learn that “being a musician” includes caring for their instrument, they practice responsibility, attention to detail, and pride of ownership.

Maintenance doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be consistent.

Simple Daily Habits After Practice

The easiest way to care for an electric guitar is to build a tiny routine right after practice. This can take less than two minutes and can be done by most school-age kids with a little guidance at first.

Wipe it down.
Have your child use a clean, dry microfiber cloth to gently wipe the strings, neck, and body. This removes sweat and oils that can cause strings to wear out faster and finishes to look dull. You don’t need any fancy products for this step—just a soft cloth that lives in the guitar case.

Put it away safely.
Encourage your child to put the guitar back in its case or on a sturdy stand every time they’re done playing. Leaning it against a wall or propping it on furniture makes it much more likely to fall and be damaged. A regular “home” for the guitar also helps kids remember where it is.

Unplug the cable.
If your child is playing through an amp, teach them to unplug the instrument cable from both the guitar and the amp when they finish. This protects the input jack from stress and prevents accidental tugs or trips over the cable.

At first, you might walk through this routine with them. Over time, it will feel just as natural as closing a laptop or putting sports equipment back in the bag.

Weekly Check-In: Strings and Hardware

About once a week (or every few practices), take a slightly closer look together.

Check the strings.
Do they look dark, rusty, or feel rough to the touch? Do they sound dull even when the guitar is tuned? Those are signs the strings are wearing out and might need to be replaced soon. You can still wipe them down with a cloth after playing to help them last a bit longer.

Tune regularly.
Even if the guitar “sounds okay,” using a tuner is important. New strings stretch and often drift out of tune quickly. A small clip-on tuner or tuning app makes it easy for kids to keep their guitar sounding the way it should. Many parents find this becomes a part of the warm-up routine before practice.

Look over the hardware.
Take a quick look at the tuning pegs, knobs, switches, and strap buttons. If anything feels extremely loose, sticky, or wobbly, it’s a good idea to mention it to your child’s teacher or a local music shop rather than trying to fix it at home.

These small check-ins can be a great way to involve parents in the learning process, especially if you don’t play guitar yourself.

Monthly Deep Clean and String Changes

Every few months—more often if your child plays a lot—it’s time for a deeper clean and new strings.

Most young players do well with new strings every two to three months. If your child practices heavily or performs often you might notice they need fresh strings a bit sooner.

String changes can feel intimidating at first, but they’re a normal part of guitar life. Many families choose to have the first few changes done at a music shop or ask their child’s teacher to demonstrate during a lesson. As your child gets older, learning to change strings can become a great “next step” in independence.

Video: How to String Your Guitar

During a string change, it’s also a good time for a deeper clean:

The fretboard can be gently cleaned, and for unfinished wood (like many rosewood or ebony boards), a small amount of guitar-safe fretboard oil can be used to keep it conditioned.
The body can be polished with a guitar-specific cleaner. Always spray the polish onto a cloth first, not directly onto the instrument, and avoid household cleaners that weren’t designed for guitars.

If you’re unsure about products, your local music store or your Bach to Rock school can recommend options and show you how to use them safely.

Building Responsibility Through Guitar Care

Caring for an instrument is more than just a to-do list—it’s a way for kids to connect more deeply with their music.

When children wipe down their guitar, put it away properly, and keep an eye out for issues, they’re practicing:

Ownership. The guitar becomes “their” instrument, not just something that magically appears at lesson time.
Attention to detail. Noticing when strings look old or when a knob feels loose helps them learn to observe and respond, not just react.
Problem-solving. Deciding whether something is a simple cleaning issue or a “let’s ask my teacher” issue builds judgment and critical thinking.
Patience. Maintenance can’t be rushed; it takes a little time and care, just like learning a new song.

For many students, these habits spill over into other areas of life—from how they treat school supplies to how they approach practice in general.

Safety Considerations for Young Musicians

Electric guitars feel fun and powerful, but there are a few safety points worth keeping in mind.

Younger children should always have adult supervision when using cleaning products or changing strings. Strings can snap under tension, have sharp ends and small parts can become choking hazards for little siblings or pets. Make sure any cleaners or oils stay away from faces and eyes, and use them in a well-ventilated room.

When moving the guitar, encourage kids to use both hands and be aware of its size and weight. Carrying it by the neck alone or swinging it around increases the risk of drops and damage—not to mention bumped walls and furniture.

When to Call in a Professional

There are some issues that are better left to a trained technician or luthier. If you notice any of the following, it’s time to get professional help:

The guitar crackles, cuts out, or has no sound when plugged in.
The neck looks twisted or the body shows cracks.
The guitar isn’t in tune, even after careful tuning or goes out of tune quickly.
The strings feel uncomfortably high or so low that they buzz constantly.
The frets look deeply grooved or sharp at the edges.

Your Bach to Rock school or local music store can point you toward a trusted repair shop, and many routine adjustments are quick and affordable.

Helpful Supplies to Keep on Hand

You don’t need a full workbench to care for an electric guitar. A small “guitar care kit” can live right in the case and might include:

A couple of microfiber cloths
Guitar-safe polish
Fretboard oil (for unfinished boards)
A clip-on tuner
Extra sets of strings
A simple string winder to make changes easier
Wire snips/cutters to trim string excess

Having these items ready makes it simple to build maintenance into everyday music life.

Making Maintenance Part of the Musical Journey

Teaching your child to care for their electric guitar is an investment in both the instrument and their musical growth. When kids understand that good maintenance helps their guitar sound better, feel better, and last longer, they’re far more likely to embrace the responsibility.

Start small: a quick wipe-down, putting the guitar away safely, tuning before practice. As your child grows and gains confidence, you can introduce more advanced tasks like helping with string changes or checking the hardware.

Over time, these habits become second nature—just another part of being a musician. And along the way, your child isn’t just learning chords and riffs; they’re learning respect for their instrument, attention to detail, and lifelong skills they’ll carry far beyond the stage.